ِDiscibtion: The festival of Tiragân is observed on July 1st, and it is primarily a rain festival and it is one of the three most widely celebrated feasts (along with Mehregan and Norooz) amongst Iranian peoples. Tir in modern Persian,; Tishtar in Middle Persian or Pahlavi; and Avestan

Tishtrya, is the Yazad presiding over the Star Sirius, brightest star in the sky, and of rain, and thus Tir Yazad especially invoked to enhance harvest and counter drought (Av. Apousha).

Besides an Afrainagân or Jashn dedicated to Tir, there appear to have been many customs associated with Tiragân. Mary Boyce (Persian Stronghold of Zoroatrianism) mentions a game of Moradula ('bead-pot') or chokâdula ('fate-pot'). She also related the custom of tying rainbow-colored bands on their wrists which were worn for ten days and then thrown into a stream. She observed during her time in Sharif-Âbâd that many of the charming old Tiragan customs had died away by the 1960's leaving "merry-making by young people and children, who with a happy license... splash and duck one another in the village streams."

Tiragan is also associated with the legend of the arrow ('tir'), which is briefly alluded to in the Tishtar Yasht (Yt8.6):

"We honor the bright, khwarrah-endowed star Tishtrya who flies as swiftly to the Vouru-kasha sea as the supernatural arrow which the archer Erexsha, the best archer of the Iranians, shot from Mount Airyo-xshutha to Mount Xwanwant. (7) For Ahura Mazda gave him assistance; so did the waters ..."

An expanded account is found in Mirkond, History of the Early Kings of Persia, Erekhsha Khshviwi-ishush (Pahlavi Arash-i Shiwâtir, i.e. 'Arash of the swift arrow, and in modern Persian, known as Arash-e Kamângir) was the best archer in the Iranian army. When Manouchehr and Afrasiyab determined to make peace and to fix the boundary between Iran and Turan, 'it was stipulated that Arash should ascend Mount Damâvand, and from thence discharge an arrow towards the east; and that the place in which the arrow fell should form the boundary between the two kingdoms. Arash thereupon ascended the mountain, and discharged towards the east an arrow, the flight of which continued from the dawn of day until noon, when it fell on the banks of the Jeyhun (the Oxus).'

The following Tirgan story from the Persian Rivâyâts tie together many of these elements:

It is related that when the wicked Afrasiyab, the Tur, ruled over the country of Iran, it did not rain, at that time, for 8 years. Afrasiyab, the Tur, asked the wise and the astrologers why it was not raining. Zu Tahmasp answered: "You turned faithless, because Faridoun had allotted to you Turkestan (only) and entrusted it to you whereas he had allotted Iran to us and given it to us. You turned away from that covenant and set it aside. It is for this reason that, owing to this sin of yours, it does not rain." Afrasiyab asked how this could be ascertained. Zu Tahmurasp said: "I shall throw an arrow from here, and where my arrow falls, there will be the boundaries (of your territory)." Afrasiyab accepted it and entered into a compact thus: "I shall consent to have as the boundaries (of my territory) that place where your arrow settles and I shall go out of Iran." When this compact was entered into, it was on the day Tir of the month Tir that Zu Tahmasp uttered the name of God and threw the arrow from the country of Iran and that arrow fell in the country of Turan by the command of Lord Ohrmazd. When that arrow settled in the country of Turan, Afrasiyab took this witness that the rains did not come on account of his faithlessness. Then Afrasiyab arose from that place and went out of Iran with his army and settled in the country of Turan. The intelligence of this spread on the day Govad and heavy rains poured down on the day Govad. Then they assented to institute a festival in the country of Iran on the day Tir of the month Tir and up to now the Dasturs of Iran write a Nirang (formula) and tie it on the hands of the faithful and remove it from their hands on the day Govad, throw it into the sea on that day for the reason that the glad tidings of the return of Afrasiyab to Turan had reached on the day Govad. It is for this reason that this nirang is untied from the hands and thrown into the sea so that all calamities may sink into the sea.

Tiregan or Jashn’e Tiregan is an ancient Iranian rain festival, observed on July 1st. Tiregan is the seventh of the seven most important and widely celebrated festivals in Iranian/Zoroastrian tradition. The seven in order of celebration frequency, popularity etc. are: Norooz; Sizdah be-dar (Farvardeengan), Charshanbeh Soori, Yalda (Daygan), Mehregan; Sadeh, Tiregan. Tir in modern Persian, Tishtar in Middle Persian or Pahlavi, and Avestan Tishtrya, is the Yazad presiding over the Star Sirius, brightest star in the sky, and of rain, and thus Tir Yazad especially invoked to enhance harvest and counter drought.

This event is celebrated in July (the Tir month of the Persian calendar) and refers to the archangel Tir (arrow) or Tishtar (lightning bolt) who appeared in the sky to generate thunder and lightning for much needed rain. It is said that Tishtar, in the form of a white horse with golden ears, battles it out with Apausha, the famine div, in the form of a black horse. After a few days of battle and just as it seems like Tishtar would be defeated, he asks Ahura Mazda for assistance and finally emerges victorious. As a result famine is removed and all fields benefit from the pouring rain.

Another legend says that Arash’e Kamangir was a man chosen to settle a land dispute between two leaders, Iran and Turan. When Manoochehr and Afrasiab determined to make peace and to fix the boundary between Iran and Turan, it was stipulated that Arash should ascend Mount Damavand, and discharge an arrow on the 13th day of Tir towards the east. The place in which the arrow fell should form the boundary between the two kingdoms. Arash thereupon ascended the mountain, and discharged towards the east an arrow, the flight of which continued from the dawn of day until noon, when it fell on the banks of the Jeyhun (the Oxus). Turan, who had suffered from the lack of rain, and Iran rejoiced the settlement of the borders, the peace and rain poured onto the two countries.

Today, some Iranians celebrate this occasion with dancing, singing, reciting poetry and serving spinach soup and sholeh zard. Besides a celebration dedicated to Tir, there appear to have been many customs associated with Tiregan. It has been observed that during this celebration children rejoice by swimming in streams and splashing water around.

Games such as moradula (bead-pot) or chokadula (fate-pot) have also been mentioned. In this game, the day before Tiregan an appointed girl washes a clay vase and covers its opening with a green silk cloth. She then goes around to other girls and whomever has a wish will deposit a small item such as a ring or coin in the vase. She then takes the vase and places it under a tree. The following day after water activities have concluded they all gather around at the tree and the elders recite poetry. After each recital an object is removed from the vase and its preceding poem is somehow interpreted according to the wish of the girl whose item has just been retrieved from the vase.

Another custom after the festivities and games is making a wristband out of seven individual strips, each of a different color. The wristband would be worn for nine days at which point its owner would released it in the wind or a stream to symbolically have the owner’s wishes taken away for delivery and fruition.

This festival is Tiregan festival of ancient Iran that is set on 4th July. So a Auspicious person, early in the morning invites in house to hit the bag of wheat, flour and pulses by a piece of wood from "Daq Daqan" tree in order to give blessing to them. He/she also hits the family members to be healthy. No one should speak when the festival is holding. At the night of 4th July, Shalandazi custom will be held. They believe in this day splashing water to each other is good omen.